The present invention relates to an image forming device such as a printer capable of automatic duplex printing.
In a conventional image forming device of an electric photography type such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile, a plurality of image forming units is arranged along a medium transporting member in a direction that the medium transporting member transports a medium, and the medium transporting member transports the medium to the image forming units. Each of the image forming units is provided with a detachable print process cartridge for forming a toner image.
The print process cartridge includes a photo-sensitive member for forming an image on a surface thereof; a charging unit for charging the photo-sensitive member; a developing unit for attaching toner on a static latent image on the surface of the photo-sensitive member; a cleaning unit for cleaning remaining toner on the surface of the photo-sensitive member; a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the developing unit; and a drive transmitting unit for driving the charging unit, the photo-sensitive member, and the developing unit.
Each of the image forming units includes an exposing unit for exposing the surface of the photo-sensitive member to form the static latent image on the surface of the photo-sensitive member. The developing unit of the print process cartridge includes a developing roller for pressing the surface of the photo-sensitive member and attaching toner to the static latent image to form a toner image; a toner supply roller for supplying the toner received from the toner cartridge to the developing roller. A transfer unit is disposed to face each of the image forming units for transferring the toner image on the photo-sensitive member to a recording medium while transporting the recording medium.
Each of the image forming units further includes a fixing unit for fixing the toner image transferred at the transfer unit while transporting the recording medium. The fixing unit includes a heat roller for heating and transporting the recording medium, and a pressure roller for pressing the recording medium against the heat roller. A duplex transport path is provided for transporting the recording medium toward a downstream side of the photo-sensitive member in a transport direction to transfer another toner image on the photo-sensitive member after the fixing unit fixes the toner image.
When the image forming device performing the duplex printing to a plurality of media, while a first sheet is transported in a switchback path, a next sheet and a sheet after the next sheet are transported and printed in the image forming device concurrently.
When a sheet is jammed during transportation, in an image forming device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 08-151166, a housing is divided into an upper housing and a lower housing (device main body), so that the upper housing is opened around a hinge mechanism disposed on a side surface of the lower housing to remove the jammed sheet. That is, after a sheet transport path is opened, the jammed sheet in the sheet transport path is identified and removed. Accordingly, after the sheet transport path is opened, it is necessary to move a part of the sheet transport path so that an operator can find the jammed sheet, thereby making the operation troublesome.
In view of the problem described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming device, in which it is possible to easily remove a jammed sheet.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.